This invention relates to the treatment of fruit-based beverages (e.g., fruit juice, cider, wine, etc.) or vegetable-based beverages (e.g., beer, ale, porter, stout, malt liquor, etc.) to remove chill haze components therefrom. More particularly, this invention relates to the treatment of such beverages with an amorphous precipitated synthetic magnesium silicate which has been treated to reduce the pH thereof to less than about 9.0, to remove chill haze components therefrom.
Many fruit- and vegetable-based beverages, such as those hereinabove described, tend to develop a haze, known as "chill haze" upon an elapse of time and/or changes in temperature. Such chill haze may be caused by the coagulation of various organic materials in the beverage. The chill haze components may include substantial amounts of proteins, polyphenols, and other materials.
A number of methods have been developed to remove at least some of the chill haze forming agents in fruit- or vegetable-based beverages, and in particular beer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,693, issued to Brenner, discloses the treatment of beer to improve the clarity thereof (i.e., by removing chill haze forming components) by contacting the beer with a composition which includes at least 70 percent by weight of calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, or zinc silicate. The silicate preferably is produced by hydrothermal reaction of diatomaceous silica with lime or magnesia.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,498, issued to Butterworth, et al, discloses the treatment of vinegar and beverages such as beer, ale, wine, cider, and fruit juices, and in particular beer, with a synthetic magnesium silicate. The magnesium silicate is prepared through the hydrothermal reaction of a silica, such as diatomite, with magnesia. The resulting magnesium silicate is treated with a light acid wash, followed by a water wash. The acid treatment reduces the magnesium content, on an oxide basis of the magnesium silicate to less than about 14%.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,742, issued to McLaughlin, et al, discloses the treatment of beer to remove chill haze and metal contaminants therefrom by contacting the beer with a combination of an inorganic chill-proofing agent, such as silica gel, and from 0.2 to 6 parts by weight of a porous, amorphous magnesium silicate for each 100 parts by weight of chill-proofing agent. The magnesium silicate may be formed through ion exchange of magnesium for metals of other insoluble silicates, or through precipitation formed upon the contact of a magnesium salt and a source of silicate ions in aqueous medium. Such a combination of silica gel and magnesium silicate is effective in removing metal contaminants in addition to being employed as a chill-proofing agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,294, issued to Berg, discloses the treatment of beer, ale, porter, or stout with a composition of 30% to 60% magnesium silicate and 40% to 70% silica gel. The magnesium silicate is an amorphous and porous magnesium silicate which may be formed by precipitation upon the contact of a magnesium salt and a source of silicate ions in an aqueous medium. This combination was found to be a more effective chill-proofing agent than that disclosed in the '742 patent hereinabove described.